Blankenship loses in Virginia...third time around

date:

September 25, 2007

The Virginia Supreme Court today rejected an appeal regarding aÂ defamation suit filed by Massey Energy Co. and its CEO, Don Blankenship, against the United Mine Workers of America and its International President, Cecil E. Roberts. The suit was previously rejected by a circuit court in January 2006, and a similar motion was denied in August 2005 when the plaintiffs failed to specify exactly what union statements were supposedly defamatory.

Â Â Â â€œDon Blankenship wielded untold thousands of dollars to pursue this frivolous lawsuit in his attempt to intimidate our union and to silence dissent,â€ said President Roberts. â€œAs we anticipated and the justice system confirmed, these tactics have no place in American society.â€
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